2 Samuel 23:20

18 And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three.

19 Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three.

And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow:

21 And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear.

22 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
And Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a man of valor from Kabzeel, a man of many exploits. He struck down two champions of Moab, and on a snowy day he went down into a pit and killed a lion.
KJV
And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow:
WEB
Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit in a time of snow.
ASV
And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, he slew the two [sons of] Ariel of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow.
DARBY
And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, son of a valiant man, great in exploits, of Kabzeel: he it was that smote two lions of Moab; and he went down and smote a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day.
BLB
And Benaiah son of Jehoiada [was] son of a man of valor, great in deeds, from Kabzeel. He struck down two lion-like ones of Moab, and He went down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day.
ÅB
Så var det Benaja, sønn av Jojada, som var sønn av en djerv seierrik stridsmann fra Kabse'el; han slo Moabs to løvehelter. En dag det hadde snedd, steg han ned i en brønn og slo ihjel en løve.
OTB
Så var det Benaja, sønn av Jojada, en tapper kriger fra Kabseel, som hadde gjort mektige gjerninger, drepte to sønner av Ariel fra Moab. Han gikk også ned og drepte en løve midt i en grop på en snørik dag.
B1930
Så var det Benaja, sønn av Jojada, som var sønn av en djerv seierrik stridsmann fra Kabse'el; han slo Moabs to løvehelter. En dag det hadde snedd, steg han ned i en brønn og slo ihjel en løve.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Joshua 15:21

    And the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the coast of Edom southward were Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur,

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  • 2 Samuel 20:23

    Now Joab was over all the host of Israel: and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites:

    Read in context
  • 2 Samuel 8:18

    And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief rulers.

    Read in context
  • 1 Chronicles 11:22–24

    Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many acts; he slew two lionlike men of Moab: also he went down and slew a lion in a pit in a snowy day.

    Read in context
  • 1 Samuel 17:34–37

    And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:

    Read in context
  • 1 Kings 1:8

    But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men which belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.

    Read in context
  • 1 Kings 1:38

    So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David’s mule, and brought him to Gihon.

    Read in context
  • 1 Kings 2:29–35

    And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD; and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him.

    Read in context